The American ambassador in Romania Mark Gitenstein started the fist phase of his mission in Bucharest on Friday. he exchanged letters with the Romanian Foreign Affairs (MAE) chief Cristian Diaconescu. The two met at MAE and said the meeting has a "special character of the bi-lateral relationship", according to a MAE report. Despite previously announcing there will be declarations for the press, there was only a press communiqué. The next step Gitenstein needs to complete is to hand the accreditation letters to Romania's president Traian Basescu.

Mark Gitenstein's discussions with the Romanian minister for Foreign Affairs focused on the bi-lateral relation, on "the excellent level of cooperation between Romania and the US on multiple levels", the report reads.

"The American diplomatic mission chief also underlined the special importance the authorities in Washington give to their relationship with our country, one of US's closest friends and partners in Europe, MAE informs. It also adds the two diplomats discussed regional issues "of common interest for both countries".

Before officially starting his mission in Romania, Mark Gitenstein still needs to hand President Traian Basescu his accreditation letters.